SOVEREIGN DISASTER RISK FINANCE IN MIDDLE INCOME COUNTRIES

Transcription

1 Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Program Review SOVEREIGN DISASTER RISK FINANCE IN MIDDLE INCOME COUNTRIES A partnership with the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) World Bank Disaster Risk Financing and Insurance Program JULY 2016 Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft Confédération suisse Confederazione Svizzera Confederaziun svizra Swiss Confederation Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research EAER State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO MiddleIncomeCountries b.indd 1 8/10/16 5:05 PM

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3 Program Review SOVEREIGN DISASTER RISK FINANCE IN MIDDLE INCOME COUNTRIES A partnership with the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) World Bank Disaster Risk Financing and Insurance Program JULY 2016 Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft Confédération suisse Confederazione Svizzera Confederaziun svizra Swiss Confederation Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research EAER State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO

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5 SOVEREIGN DISASTER RISK FINANCE IN MIDDLE INCOME COUNTRIES Table of Contents iv Foreword vi Acknowledgments vii List of Acronyms viii Executive Summary 1 Program Overview 2 Summary of Program Outcomes 3 Summary of Progress 8 Lessons on Disaster Risk Finance from Middle-Income Countries 9 Sharing Knowledge of Disaster Risk Finance Worldwide 13 Detailed Evaluation of Country Progress 13 Colombia 15 Peru 17 Vietnam 19 Azerbaijan 20 Morocco 21 Indonesia 22 Serbia 24 South Africa 25 Ghana, Egypt, Tunisia

6 iv SOVEREIGN DISASTER RISK FINANCE IN MIDDLE INCOME COUNTRIES Foreword Ivo Germann, Head of Operations, SECO and Alfonso Garcia Mora, Director, F&M, World Bank Losses caused by natural disasters worldwide reached an average of $165 billion per year over the last 10 years. Middle-income countries are affected worst relative to GDP as economic growth and urbanization increase the concentration of assets exposed to natural disasters. This can affect growth, slow down development progress and keep people in poverty, or push them back into it. In addition, with under-developed domestic catastrophe risk insurance markets - penetration is estimated at less than 10 percent in most middle-income countries-, the governments bear a large share of these losses, either explicitly or implicitly. For a finance minister, these costs are a contingent liability that should be accounted for in the fiscal management framework. The IMF s Fiscal Transparency Code reminds us that it is a good practice principle to analyze, disclose, and manage the potential fiscal exposure to natural disasters and other major environmental risks. If not properly handled, such contingent liabilities can cause major budget volatility when they materialize. For example the government will need immediate liquidity following a disaster to pay for emergency response and previously unbudgeted longer term financing for reconstructing infrastructure. Often the government also shoulders additional costs through unplanned post-disaster support to affected local governments, families, and small businesses. Financial planning for disasters helps governments shift from emergency borrowers to effective risk managers and match potential liabilities with the required financial resources. It ensures that following a disaster funding is available for immediate humanitarian response. But also it avoids interruptions to investments in crucial public services, such as education or health care. Switzerland s State Secretariat of Economic Affairs (SECO) and the World Bank Group (WBG) have since 2011 built a joint program supporting governments in middle income countries to take a risk management approach for the fiscal management of disaster and climate risks. The Program helps countries develop comprehensive financial protection strategies, bringing together a combination of financial instruments to protect against disasters of different frequency and severity. To ensure efficient response following a disaster, it is focused not just on securing the funds in advance but also put in place the budget systems to rapidly and effectively execute the money in the aftermath. This Program is being implemented by the Disaster Risk Financing and Insurance Program (DRFIP), anchored in the Finance and Markets Global Practice (F&M GP) of the WBG. It is one component of the broader Swiss-WBG partnership on fiscal risk management for middle income-countries, which also includes a component on government debt and risk management.

7 SOVEREIGN DISASTER RISK FINANCE IN MIDDLE INCOME COUNTRIES v The Program offers SECO an opportunity to support its partner countries in achieving macroeconomic stability and longer-term fiscal sustainability, which are essential for long term and inclusive economic growth. An active management of fiscal risk caused by natural disasters makes these countries more resilient against climate change which is expected to exacerbate extreme weather events. SECO s engagement in this partnership is part of Switzerland s longstanding effort to promote disaster risk reduction as an essential requirement for sustainable development. This work is directly contributing to the WBG s twin goals of ending extreme poverty and boosting shared prosperity. Increased financial resilience against disasters helps break the poverty cycle, often perpetuated by disasters, and prevents countries from losing years of development gains by efficiently managing shocks. The Program also supports the development of deep, inclusive, efficient, and stable financial systems, which is part of the F&M GP s strategy. As the first phase of the Program comes to a close, this report highlights the Program s results, pulling together operational lessons learned over the past four years. Enhancing understanding of the economic and fiscal impact of disasters and improving capacity to devise and implement cost-effective financial protection strategies are the key outcome under this Program. This is being achieved for example through the development of a national disaster risk financing strategy for Colombia, Peru, and Serbia; the development of catastrophe risk models in Azerbaijan and Vietnam; the development of a new law in Morocco to deepen the domestic property catastrophe risk insurance market; and supporting the Ministry of Finance of Serbia to consider the establishment of a dedicated Fiscal Risk Unit in Serbia. While much has been achieved over the past four years, this has just been the start of a longer process in these countries and beyond to shift from emergency borrower to active risk manager. A second phase of the Program is currently under discussion to help governments further improve the financial management of the disruptive shocks from natural hazards. Alfonso Garcia Mora Director Finance and Markets Global Practice World Bank Ivo Germann Head of Operations State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO Swiss Confederation

8 vi SOVEREIGN DISASTER RISK FINANCE IN MIDDLE INCOME COUNTRIES Acknowledgments This report was prepared by the DRFIP team, informed by the monitoring and reporting documents produced semi-annually for every country of engagement. Consultation with the World Bank teams that lead the engagement in the different countries have been critical to understand the challenges and lessons learned. This report was developed to review the progress made and consolidate lessons learned over the four years of the program ( ). It takes stock of what works and what we have learned. The report is split in two parts. First, a summary of program progress, outcomes achieved and consolidated lessons learned across the countries. Second, detailed updates on progress made in each country of engagement. The report informed discussions at a peer learning workshop, bringing together the countries under the Program in Venice, Italy, in May It formed the basis for active knowledge exchange between the countries and discussions on the second phase of the Program. The Disaster Risk Financing and Insurance Program is a joint program of the World Bank s Finance & Markets Global Practice and the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GDFRR), with financial support from donor partners including SECO, the UK Department for International Development, the European Union, the Government of Japan, The Government of Germany, the Rockefeller Foundation, and the Swedish International Development Cooperation. DRFIP has provided advisory services on disaster risk financing and insurance to more than 60 countries worldwide.

9 SOVEREIGN DISASTER RISK FINANCE IN MIDDLE INCOME COUNTRIES vii List of Acronyms ADB APEC DRF DRFIP DRM IMF GFDRR MICs OECD PPPs SBS SECO The Program WBG Asian Development Bank Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Disaster Risk Finance World Bank Disaster Risk Financing and Insurance Program Disaster Risk Management International Monetary Fund Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery Middle Income Countries Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Public-Private Partnerships Peru s Insurance Supervisory Authority Switzerland s State Secretariat for Economic Affairs The World Bank-SECO Sovereign Disaster Risk Financing and Insurance Program for Middle-Income Countries World Bank Group

10 viii SOVEREIGN DISASTER RISK FINANCE IN MIDDLE INCOME COUNTRIES Executive Summary Switzerland s State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) and the World Bank s Disaster Risk Financing and Insurance Program (DRFIP) launched a partnership to support middle-income countries (MICs) strengthen their financial resilience against natural disasters. Established in late 2011, the Sovereign Disaster Risk Financing and Insurance Program for Middle-Income Countries (the Program) is one component of a broader World Bank-SECO partnership on fiscal risk management for MICs. The Program provides tailored advisory services and institutional capacity building for public financial management of natural disasters. The Program s engagement has spanned nine countries, making steady progress in many. At its inception the countries proposed for participation were Azerbaijan, Colombia, Egypt, Ghana, Indonesia, Peru, South Africa, Tunisia, and Vietnam. Progress across the different countries has varied in nature and scope. The Program has had successful engagement in Azerbaijan, Colombia, Peru, Indonesia, and Vietnam; it then expanded to Morocco and Serbia. Engagement has not materialized in Egypt, Ghana, South Africa, and Tunisia. The Program has seen promising outcomes in four years. Understanding of the financial impact from disasters has increased in all participating countries. This understanding has often influenced or enabled changes in the institutional environment of countries to improve financial planning for disasters. For instance, guidelines provided by the Program have been key to improving the quality and coverage of insurance of public assets in Colombia and Peru, and of private assets in Morocco. The Program has adopted a demand-driven approach that delivers a large number of outputs targeting specific client needs. In several countries, such as Colombia, Peru, and Vietnam, engagement began with understanding the needs of the government and providing customized solutions for specific demands. Overall, 66 reports have been produced targeting specific technical knowledge gaps and 25 trainings and workshops have reached more than 680 people, strengthening governments capacity to make informed decisions. This has set the foundation to develop comprehensive national-level strategies. Lessons from the past four years highlight what has made this engagement successful 1. Government ownership: Active ownership of the agenda by the government has been instrumental in countries that have made substantial progress. 2. Identifying key stakeholders: Building relationships with several relevant ministries and departments in each country proved to be effective in continuing engagements despite changes in government.

11 SOVEREIGN DISASTER RISK FINANCE IN MIDDLE INCOME COUNTRIES ix 3. Clear identification of priorities and challenges: Having that discussion early on in the engagement enabled a strategic approach in the support provided. 4. Timely delivery of customized solutions: Responding to client needs in a timely and responsive manner has been a key factor for strengthening relationships. 5. Regular interaction with counterparts helps build capacity: Local consultants have made engagement with government officials possible. 6. Balance between technical and policy solutions: Giving equal weight to both technical and policy aspects of Disaster Risk Finance (DRF) has helped in finding sustainable solutions that can be implemented. 7. Capacity building of government officials: Peer-exchange, training workshops, and targeted technical assistance have contributed to a sustainable DRF agenda.

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13 SOVEREIGN DISASTER RISK FINANCE IN MIDDLE INCOME COUNTRIES 1 Program Overview The Program s development objective is to increase the financial resilience of participating countries to natural disasters. It supports governments in improving their financial capacity to respond in the aftermath of natural disasters while protecting their long-term fiscal balance. In addition, the Program seeks to build government capacity on sovereign financial protection by increasing understanding about disaster risk financing and insurance solutions and by helping countries make informed decisions as part of their broader public financial management, disaster risk management (DRM), and financial sector development strategies. Each country s pace of progress on the DRF agenda is unique, given differences in the institutional environment, needs, and priorities. Each country in the Program has engaged in different activities and requested a diverse range of outputs customized to their specific needs. The Program has developed a three-stage approach towards scaling up the DRF engagement, beginning with a diagnosis; followed by a preparation phase, setting the ground for the implementation of financial instruments or institutional reforms. To achieve its objectives, the Program s engagement is designed around a set of key activities. These include: 4. Review of the regulatory framework for catastrophe risk insurance; 5. Knowledge transfer and training to build capacity for sovereign disaster risk finance strategy; 6. Implementation of market-based disaster risk financing and transfer solutions. Way Forward Efforts are under way to move the engagement from the national to the subnational level. This shift has begun for example in Colombia in light of its implementation of a national-level strategy. The ministry of finance is aiming to develop a five-year implementation plan at the national and sub-national levels by January 2017, which will define products to be implemented, institutions involved, and relevant timeframes. Increased development of DRF analytics and tools is necessary to meet country demands. Several countries such as Colombia, Indonesia and Peru have already benefitted from more informed decision making as a result of DRF analytics and tools. However, demand for these tools is steadily rising as countries such as Morocco or Vietnam focus on making more informed decisions on the financial management of disaster impacts. CHAPTER 1 1. Catastrophe risk modeling; 2. Assessment of economic and fiscal impact of disasters; 3. Review of fiscal management of natural disasters; Several countries are developing and enhancing domestic insurance solutions. As countries better manage the fiscal impact of disasters, they increasingly look to reduce the underlying liability to the state through the development of insurance solutions for public

14 2 SOVEREIGN DISASTER RISK FINANCE IN MIDDLE INCOME COUNTRIES and private assets. This helps transfer risk to specialized risk carriers. Principles and tools for financial risk management are increasingly applied to new areas that impact the contingent liability of the government. For example, governments start looking to manage the financing of social protection schemes or the potential cost of drought on energy production through better financial risk management. Experience has shown that DRF is most effective when integrated into broader development strategies in areas such as climate and disaster risk management, energy and water, infrastructure and urban development, agriculture and food security, macro and fiscal stability, public debt and risk management, financial sector development, and scalable social protection. Summary of Program Outcomes The Program s activities have helped countries improve perceptions and understanding of the economic and fiscal impact of natural disasters. Colombia and Peru have integrated a risk layering approach within their national strategies, while Indonesia, Vietnam, and Serbia are exploring that option. Support for development of catastrophe risk models to facilitate a better understanding of risk and exposure has remained central to the Program, with work undertaken in Azerbaijan, Colombia, Peru, Vietnam and Morocco. Additionally, costbenefit analyses on the use of fiscal instruments for specific hazards have been carried out for Colombia, Indonesia, Morocco, and Peru. The Program has improved institutional capacity to devise and implement costeffective financial strategies for the fiscal protection of the state against natural disasters. One important outcome has been to inform institutional change in several countries. In Colombia, technical advice is informing laws on risk retention measures such as the national disaster risk management fund. In Morocco, technical inputs have informed the draft law on catastrophe risk insurance to expand the coverage of domestic insurance and to propose a solidarity fund for uninsured households. Other institutional improvements include the potential development of a centralized approach to insurance of public assets in Colombia and its already enhanced coverage and quality of insurance of public assets; support to Azerbaijan for identifying appropriate stakeholders to develop a DRF strategy (such as the country s insurance department, which is designing policies on risk transfer); and support to Serbia to conduct a functional review of its ministry of finance as groundwork for the establishment of a fiscal risk management unit. Institutional capacity that the Program has helped build has led to the implementation of successful reforms. For instance, the Program worked with the government of Colombia to analyze international guidelines of best practices on the insurance of infrastructure and implement them in Colombia s requirements for private concessions for the construction of public infrastructure. The Ministry of Finance now uses the guidelines among its criteria for accepting or rejecting proposed public-private partnerships (PPPs). In Peru, the Program also delivered guidelines after analyzing a database of insurance contracts of government concessions; the government incorporated the guidelines into the contract for a road concession and into its standard templates for concessions. The Program s technical support for calculation of a catastrophe reserve is helping to enhance Peru s regulatory framework for coping with catastrophe risk.

15 SOVEREIGN DISASTER RISK FINANCE IN MIDDLE INCOME COUNTRIES 3 Summary of Progress This section provides a brief overview of progress made across all the countries that the Program has engaged in and lessons that have been learned. A key insight has been the need for complementary support on policy development that parallels advances in technical expertise. The development of financial protection strategies at the national level has proven to be an important driver of institutionalizing progress. Such measures have often created a demand for analytical tools and services to help government officials understand and respond to technical questions. Providing curated access to knowledge materials and technical expertise has been a key demand; the Program has responded, for example, through targeted technical notes and regional and national workshops on experience and lessons learned. Progress made in the countries under the Program (as of June 2016) Serbia Morocco Azerbaijan Vietnam Colombia Indonesia Peru South Africa Diagnostic Preparation Implementation

16 4 SOVEREIGN DISASTER RISK FINANCE IN MIDDLE INCOME COUNTRIES Colombia has improved its understanding of financial vulnerability to disasters, is implementing a national DRF strategy, and is expanding this work to the subnational level. Catastrophe risk insurance protecting investments worth US$38 billion Joint Cat Bond with the Pacific Alliance under exploration Creation of public asset and insurance policies databases. Pilot planned for July National DRF Strategy Capacity building (PPPs and insurance) and insurance guidelines for subnational entities Draft by-law for national DRM Fund Peru has increased its understanding of the financial costs from earthquakes and has developed a nationallevel DRF strategy. National Earthquake Risk Profile Joint Cat Bond with the Pacific Alliance under exploration National DRF Strategy Policy Framework Creation of Household Reinsurance Catastrophe Pool by private insurers (on-going) Analytics Tool for Earthquake Financing and CBA Tool for risk-financing instruments

17 SOVEREIGN DISASTER RISK FINANCE IN MIDDLE INCOME COUNTRIES 5 Vietnam has improved its institutional capacity to develop a comprehensive, cost-effective approach to financial protection, supported by the development of a national catastrophe risk model. National Catastrophe Risk Model (ongoing) Web-based platform for standardized insurance policies and incurred loss database (Pilot planned August 2016) Inclusion of insurance of public assets in draft law on public assets management Azerbaijan has focused on catastrophe risk modeling, in addition to mobilizing greater support for the DRF agenda within the government. National Catastrophe Risk Model with database developed by sub-regions Development of parameters for institutionalizing capacity to develop DRFI strategies Mobilization of Insurance Department to lead risk-transfer policy approach at sovereign and market level

18 6 SOVEREIGN DISASTER RISK FINANCE IN MIDDLE INCOME COUNTRIES Morocco has developed a holistic disaster risk management approach, including the promotion of domestic catastrophe risk insurance solutions. Inputs to law on catastrophe risk insurance Potential establishment of a Solidarity Fund to cover non-insured households Actuarial tools to assess fiscal implication of draft law on catastrophe risk insurance (ongoing) Indonesia has built capacity on sovereign disaster risk finance, through analytical tools, training, and workshops on sovereign catastrophe risk transfer solutions. Financial Decision-Making package for financial protection against earthquakes Assessing the Fiscal impact of agricultural insurance Drafting of decree on Natural Disaster Insurance Transaction

19 SOVEREIGN DISASTER RISK FINANCE IN MIDDLE INCOME COUNTRIES 7 Serbia has improved its capacity to deal with financial implications from disasters and to develop appropriate financial mechanisms. DRF Diagnostic to assess current state of play and existing mechanisms National DRF Strategy under development Functional review for establishment of a fiscal risk unit in the ministry of finance South Africa engagement closed as a result of other priorities by government counterparts. Egypt, Tunisia, Ghana engagement were not initiated, mainly due to the political situation.

20 8 SOVEREIGN DISASTER RISK FINANCE IN MIDDLE INCOME COUNTRIES Lessons on Disaster Risk Finance from Middle- Income Countries Government ownership and strong institutional counterparts are key to facilitating progress. The cases of Colombia, Peru, Serbia, and Vietnam highlight the way in which government interest and buy-in further dialogue and action on disaster risk finance. In contrast, a lack of government ownership of the DRF agenda stymied the discussion in South Africa, Ghana, Tunisia, and Egypt. For example, the creation of a dedicated fiscal risk unit in the ministry of finance has often proved to be a key stepping stone towards a strong DRF agenda. Identifying key stakeholders early in the process is important. Engaging stakeholders with an interest in DRF both inside and outside the government helps to advance project implementation. A high-level champion in the government can be key to anchoring DRF as a government priority. It is also important to identify and build relationships with additional government counterparts, such as officials with responsibilities for managing contingent liabilities, including personnel in fiscal risk offices. Furthermore, so progress does not completely stall due to turnover of key government personnel, relationships with a wider group of stakeholders are needed. Finally, engagement with the local private sector can tap critical technical knowledge and expertise. The legal mandate on DRF is often shared across multiple institutions, and all relevant stakeholders should be involved if possible. Defining clear priorities and identifying challenges at the start of the Program allow for a strategic approach. Creating an initial work plan spurs the development of actionable and effective policy reforms and financial solutions. Early planning discussions may also pave the way for developing comprehensive strategies for financial protection. Start small, practical, and fast. Countries often start engagements by requesting assistance for simple and small products. By providing rapid, timely, and high-quality responses to such requests, the Program team develops trust and credibility with its government counterparts, making it easier to broaden the scope and nature of the DRF engagement. Continued contact with counterparts and local capacity are critical. The engagement of local consultants based in the country has been critical in all countries that have made strong progress. An in-country presence has helped the Program maneuver local institutions, ensured regular contact between the teams and government counterparts, and supported the building of capacity of public officials. Development of efficient and sustainable financial solutions requires a balance between technical and policy work. When implementing financial protection strategies, governments need to develop sophisticated instruments, a task requiring highly technical analysis. Yet governments also need to develop broader strategic policies to set the overall direction and to ensure that the DRF work links to the government s overall work program in other relevant areas. To develop this balance, it is necessary that World Bank teams have a balance of technical as well as policy expertise. Peer exchanges, training, and targeted technical advice contribute to building the capacity of government officials in scaling up DRF solutions. Involvement of public officials in specific technical assistance, such as the development of products; facilitation of their participation in workshops and training sessions; and delivery of simple analytical tools to inform decision making have all been

21 SOVEREIGN DISASTER RISK FINANCE IN MIDDLE INCOME COUNTRIES 9 important to building capacity. Collaboration between countries has allowed officials to benefit from one another through exchange of knowledge and experience. Sharing Knowledge of Disaster Risk Finance Worldwide The Program has informed discussions and actions on disaster risk finance beyond the participating countries across the world. The positive spillover effect from the in-depth technical work carried out under the Program is clear in the cases discussed here. These cases also act as models for other middle-income countries striving to develop similar policy approaches to manage the financial costs from disasters. Such peer-exchange goes both ways, and countries in the Program also benefit from the experience of others; for instance, they have learned from Mexico about fine-tuning financial instruments to increase efficiency of their financial protection strategy. The Philippines has prepared a comprehensive national financial strategy. The Philippine government s strategy, created in 2014, aims to protect three levels of society: the national budget, local governments, and individuals. The work in the Philippines also takes advantage of and helps refine the analytical tools developed for Colombia and Indonesia. World Bank support to the Philippines Insurance Commission to improve regulation of catastrophe risk insurance and management of insurance databases builds on the experience of Colombia, Peru, and Vietnam. Panama has enacted a national strategic framework for financial management of disaster risk. In 2014, Panama became the first country in the world to enact by law a national strategic framework for the financial management of disaster risk. The development of this strategy was informed by the experience of Colombia and Peru. The objectives of the strategic framework include (i) incorporating disaster risk analysis in public investment planning processes; (ii) developing instruments and measures for a financial protection strategy in the event of disasters; (iii) systematizing information on and appraisals of investments in disaster prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response, and reconstruction; and (iv) promoting public and private investment in risk management. 1 The adoption of the framework has been the culmination of a series of public reforms, consultations, and studies by the Panama government in recent years and creates a strong legal mandate for establishing a financial management strategy that addresses natural disasters. 2 The Program has stimulated global policy discussions on financial resilience to disaster risk in international fora. Financial management of disaster risk has become a subject of international exchanges of knowledge and policy in recent years. Peru, for example, placed DRF in its agenda for its 2016 presidency of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum. Morocco presented its experience at the 2015 Understanding Risk and Finance Africa conference to 450 policy makers from across Africa. Several countries took part in a 2015 seminar on Disaster Risk Finance in Asia organized by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The combined experience and knowledge from this sustained partnership and dialogue with public and private sector partners has informed the development of an operational framework for public financial management of natural disasters. The framework is a practical and comprehensive resource on good practices for governments that aim to establish and improve disaster risk financing

22 10 SOVEREIGN DISASTER RISK FINANCE IN MIDDLE INCOME COUNTRIES and insurance activities. 3 The experience under the SECO partnership has been particularly important in the development of these good practice guidelines. The operational framework is a practical guide to support decision makers who look to strengthen their nation s financial resilience to natural disasters. Some short-term steps may address urgent problems while decision makers consider long-term and more comprehensive financial protection policies. For example, for a ministry of finance to use risk transfer, it may be necessary to change existing law, a step that may take several years to accomplish. Over time, a long-term strategy developed around various ongoing activities can help the government build a comprehensive approach to the financial management of disasters. The figure below shows core technical steps a government needs to take when implementing financial protection solutions. It has to understand the risks it faces, consider where resources may be obtained following a disaster, and identify appropriate channels to ensure that those resources reach the intended beneficiaries without delay.

23 SOVEREIGN DISASTER RISK FINANCE IN MIDDLE INCOME COUNTRIES 11 Operational Disaster Risk Financing and Insurance Framework: Core technical steps Risk assessments for financial protection quantify potential disaster impacts based on historical and simulated data. This often requires investments in the necessary underlying hazard, exposure, and vulnerability data. This also includes building an effective interface between the policy maker and underlying technical models. PRE-DISASTER Sustainable financial protection requires reducing underlying drivers of this risk. It complements risk reduction by managing residual risk which is not feasible or not cost effective to mitigate. It also creates incentives to invest in risk reduction and prevention by putting a price on risk and clarifying risk ownership. Reduce Underlying Risk (Links to DRM) Assess Risks Deliver Funds to Beneficiaries Arrange Financial Solutions Effective post disaster response and recovery relies on access to sufficient and timely resources following a disaster. This includes: (i) Arranging the required financial resources for the government to meet its contingent liabilities (ii) Developing catastrophe risk and agricultural insurance markets, building on Public-Private Partnerships (iii) Develop rules and arrange financing instruments for scalable social protection POST-DISASTER Resources should reach beneficiaries in a timely, transparent, and accountable fashion. This requires effective administrative and legal systems for the appropriation and execution of funds for the government budget, insurance distribution and settlement (often through private channels), as well as social protection programs. Source: World Bank (2014) Financial Protection against Natural Disasters ENDNOTES 1 Management-of-Disaster-Risk.pdf

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25 SOVEREIGN DISASTER RISK FINANCE IN MIDDLE INCOME COUNTRIES 13 Detailed Evaluation of Country Progress Colombia Context In the last 40 years, natural disasters have cost Colombia an estimated US$2.04 billion and destroyed 190,000 houses. The impact of the La Niña rainy season brought to light the complexity of hazard risk in Colombia and highlighted existing gaps in the national DRM system. Floods in 2012 alone hit some 3.5 million people with unprecedented damage and losses, underscoring the need to strengthen the national system to manage disaster risks proactively. 1 The La Niña events revealed that infrastructure built under PPP concessions was often not properly insured, saddling the government with the reconstruction cost. As the country planned major new investments in infrastructure through PPPs of up to $38 billion, it became a top priority to secure adequate catastrophe risk insurance for PPP concessions. Overview of Progress In 2013, Colombia became the first country in the world to develop a dedicated national DRF strategy. Colombia s National Development Plan of required that the Ministry of Finance lead the development of a DRF strategy for reducing fiscal vulnerability of the country. This was reinforced by the passage of DRM legislation in With the Program s technical assistance, the national DRF strategy was finalized in December In 2014, the Program supported the government to analyze the functions and mandates of different government entities to improve collaboration and coordination for implementation of the national strategy. The Colombian government has enabled protection of infrastructure investments worth US$38 billion. The Program provided a series of technical notes to inform the development of a pilot scheme for a collective approach to insurance of public assets. The Program provided international good practices from private insurance markets to improve requirements for catastrophe risk insurance of PPPs, which helped protect infrastructure investments worth $38 billion. In addition, the Program supports the improvement of quality and coverage of insurance for public assets by (i) issuing insurance guidelines for the central and subnational levels; and (ii) developing internet-based software to improve the management of data on insurance policies and exposure of nationally owned property. The drafting of a bylaw on DRM for the National Fund will strengthen budgetary measures to retain risk more effectively. The government s interest in parametric risk-transfer solutions also led to a number of technical notes to evaluate a potential catastrophe swap. The analysis, produced with the Colombia Geological Survey and the Ministry of Finance, was developed in 2014, with supporting documents and databases that can be run using the Comprehensive Approach to Probabilistic Risk Assessment (CAPRA) tool. Colombia decided not to proceed with a catastrophe swap at the time, but the analysis CHAPTER 2

26 14 SOVEREIGN DISASTER RISK FINANCE IN MIDDLE INCOME COUNTRIES is now being used to evaluate the feasibility of a joint catastrophe bond among the countries of the Pacific Alliance. 2 As of December 2015, 26 reports have been prepared and 195 officials have been trained through 10 workshops. In coordination with the parallel SECO-financed project on fiscal and debt risk management, for example, four regional workshops were organized on international good practices on insurance of PPPs, training 83 public officers from 27 territorial entities. Colombia s national DRF strategy has informed efforts by several countries, including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Peru, Panama, the Philippines, and Vietnam. Colombia s improved management of insurance data is being replicated in Panama, the Philippines, and Vietnam, in collaboration with the insurance supervisory authorities, local insurance companies, and national insurance associations. Knowledge and peer learning with Peru, Panama, and Mexico have in turn contributed to Colombia s expertise. Lessons Learned Strong government ownership and engaged partners are critical to DRF reforms. The engagement of selected high-level decision makers has been key to progress. In Colombia, having a dedicated risk department in the Ministry of Finance to manage contingent liabilities has provided a strong institutional counterpart, established the leadership of the Ministry of Finance, and supported coordination with other government entities. Understand the country s needs first, then provide quick and customized solutions. At the beginning, the Program invested time to develop a strong relationship with government counterparts and to deliver quick, demanddriven products. Those steps built trust and credibility with the client and demonstrated the technical skills and knowledge that officials could draw on. The success of those smaller products led to development of more sophisticated products, and the Program s broader engagement on the DRF agenda. The resulting products have also been used by other countries (both as part of the Program as well as beyond) to advance their DRF strategies. Global commitments can provide incentives for quick and timely action. Colombia currently is working towards OECD membership, and its commitments as part of that process have helped to accelerate some aspects of the Program. Commitments made at global or regional policy summits can also spur domestic policy reforms. A change of government can slow progress. In 2014, although the President of the country was re-elected, personnel changes at the Ministry of Finance slowed work for several months. The Program was able to leverage the good relationship with the government s procurement office (Colombia Compra Eficiente) to re-engage. That experience illustrates the importance of forming relationships across the government, in addition to the main counterparts in the Ministry of Finance. Next Steps The Program will support the continued implementation of the national strategy as well as expanding the scope of risk-transfer and risk-retention solutions. The Program will continue to support the government s priorities to: (i) develop a cost-benefit analysis of current financial instruments for financing losses from earthquakes; (ii) improve quality and coverage of property insurance by standardizing terms for buying property insurance policies, develop web-based software for managing buildings and property insurance, and create guidelines for property insurance; (iii) develop the bylaw

27 SOVEREIGN DISASTER RISK FINANCE IN MIDDLE INCOME COUNTRIES 15 for establishing a National DRM fund; and (iv) evaluate the potential for issuing a regional catastrophe bond for the Pacific Alliance. Peru Context Peru is vulnerable to a large number of risks and hazards. Between 1970 and 2010, Peru was impacted by 109 disasters, 72 percent of which were related to climate (droughts, floods, frosts, and mudslides) and 28 percent were geophysical events (seismic activity, volcanic eruptions, and landslides). These disasters caused over 74,000 deaths and affected 18 million people. 3 During that period, Peru had the highest number of deaths and the secondhighest number of victims in Latin America. 4 Peru s northern coast is especially vulnerable to El Niño oscillations, typically characterized by prolonged torrential rains. The and El Niño events resulted in losses totaling US$2.3 billion and $3.6 billion respectively, destroying and damaging homes, infrastructure, production equipment, cropland, and transportation stock, among others. 5 Overview of Progress Developing a national strategy on DRF is a priority of Peru s government. In June 2012, at the inception of the Program s engagement in Peru, the government decided to develop a sovereign DRF strategy along strategic lines of action. In 2013, the Ministry of Finance developed an internal DRF strategy with inputs from the World Bank, which was adopted by the Risk Committee of the Ministry of Finance as is currently being implemented. Over the course of 2015, the strategy was formalized in a draft national DRF strategic policy framework that is expected to be released by mid Peru has developed a national seismic risk profile and conducted a cost-benefit analysis on emergency and reconstruction losses. Technical products have helped the government to better understand and manage the financial costs of disasters. The government requested support in developing a catastrophe risk profile of Peru, with an initial focus on the priority sectors of health, education, water, and sanitation in Lima-Callao. In 2014, the Ministry of Finance developed a national seismic risk profile, with the Program providing technical inputs and quality control that will be instrumental in informing Peru s national earthquake risk profile. In 2015, the Program prepared a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis for the government, including emergency and reconstruction losses, to provide a complete picture of current financial instruments for managing its natural disaster risk the first time such an analysis has been developed. The Program also provides technical support to Peru s Insurance Supervisory Authority (SBS). An update to the country s regulations on allocations for catastrophe reserves will help grow and strengthen local insurance companies. Peru has made progress toward strengthening public asset insurance, and started early discussions on the development of a catastrophe reinsurance pool for homeowners. In 2012, the Program carried out a first diagnosis of the insurance of Peru s public assets and concessions and prepared new database templates. Guidelines were developed to strengthen the insurance of public assets and concessions, some of which were integrated into the legal system. Additionally, with the Program s support, discussions are ongoing among the Ministry of Finance, the SBS, and members of the Peruvian insurance industry to create a household reinsurance catastrophe pool. A feasibility study is planned, contingent on commitment letters by insurance companies. Peru has engaged in the development of domestic and international mechanisms for

28 16 SOVEREIGN DISASTER RISK FINANCE IN MIDDLE INCOME COUNTRIES coordinating DRM solutions. In 2015, the government established a permanent working group for the coordination and use of funds in the aftermath of disasters through welldeveloped protocols and processes. In addition, members of the Pacific Alliance proposed the creation of a Catastrophic Risk Management Working Group to strengthen the cooperation and sharing of information and experiences in disaster risk management. The Pacific Alliance countries are also exploring the issuance of a joint catastrophe bond, with technical advice from the World Bank. A regional workshop and three internal workshops have reached a total of 131 public officials. In 2012, the World Bank facilitated a regional peer exchange workshop for directors of relevant divisions from ministries of finance in Colombia, Peru, and Mexico and organized a workshop for Peru s Ministry of Finance General Directorate of Debt and Treasury (DGETP). In 2013 a training was held for government officials on insurance of public assets. In 2014, the Program team facilitated a workshop on insurance of public assets and concessions to support implementation of insurance guidelines prepared for the government. 21 technical notes, including three larger reports, have been developed. The government showcased its progress to an international audience at the 2015 DRF forum in Malaysia and made DRF a key topic of its 2016 APEC presidency. Lessons Learned Political will and legislation are critical in advancing action on disaster risk financing. It can be a challenge to get government officials to focus on disaster risk financing; in the case of Peru strong interest from decision makers has been essential to achieving DRF objectives. Another important factor has been an enabling legal environment that mandates action to build fiscal resilience to disasters. The active presence of the Program team builds trust and credibility and supports the capacity of the government. The World Bank team spent considerable time with government officials to develop strong working relationships with them and to understand their needs. A local consultant in Peru was instrumental in keeping counterparts engaged and aware of related activities and the progress of implementation, while helping boost officials capacity. Knowledge and experience exchange has been essential. Peru has benefited greatly from knowledge and lessons shared by other countries, an example of the strong positive spillover effect from the Program s broad reach. Other countries have benefited from Peru s progress, too; for example, knowledge of how technical assistance has enhanced Peru s insurance market and insurance supervision has been shared with other countries, including Colombia, Panama, the Philippines, and Vietnam. Next Steps The Program will continue to support Peru s implementation of a comprehensive approach that addresses the different layers of risk. Peru s National DRF Strategy is an important achievement of the Program. The government is now working toward full implementation of the strategy through the development of targeted financial solutions. The next steps include, for example, exploring the development of a reinsurance pool for catastrophe risk; the program will support that effort through a feasibility study and facilitation of a working group comprising the SBS, the Ministry of Finance, the Peruvian Association of Insurance Companies (APESEG), and insurance companies. The program will also continue to support trainings.

29 SOVEREIGN DISASTER RISK FINANCE IN MIDDLE INCOME COUNTRIES 17 Vietnam Context An estimated 59 percent of Vietnam s land area and 71 percent of its population are vulnerable to cyclones and floods. In the past 20 years, natural disasters have resulted in the loss of over 13,000 lives. Disaster losses in the country have been equivalent to at least one percent of GDP per year due to natural disasters from 1989 to 2008, according to an estimate by a 2007 World Bank study on the fiscal impact of natural disasters. 6 Following this report and as mandated by the country s Law on Natural Disasters Prevention and Control and its National Strategy for Natural Disaster Prevention, Response, and Mitigation, the government of Vietnam s Insurance Supervisory Authorities in 2013 asked for World Bank assistance in developing insurance solutions for natural catastrophes. Overview of Progress The Ministry of Finance has developed a detailed work plan on DRF. Based on the government s priorities, the World Bank and the Ministry of Finance have agreed on a work plan that prioritizes (i) natural disaster risk assessment for financial solutions; (ii) protecting the state budget against natural disasters; (iii) advancing the development of insurance markets for the protection of property against catastrophe risk; and (iv) building the nation s capacity and knowledge exchange on disaster risk. A catastrophe risk model and a web-based platform for a standardized loss database in Vietnam are currently under development. In mid-2014, Impact Forecasting, an international catastrophe-risk modeling firm was selected to develop a catastrophe risk model for financial applications; the model is expected to be finalized by late The Program team has conducted actuarial analysis of historical perils and damages and preliminary analysis of historical losses to public assets. The Program also prepared new templates for an insurance policy and incurred loss database to help the Insurance Supervisory Authority (ISA) better understand the market. Seven domestic insurance companies, representing over 70 percent of the non-life insurance market share in Vietnam, provided input, including information on the availability of required data. The Program will support ISA and the companies to develop a plan to standardize the database template across the market and ultimately to collect data through a web-based platform. The government is exploring risk-retention and risk-transfer solutions to lower the costs of disasters to the budget. For instance, a diagnosis was prepared to identify challenges in coordination, sequencing, and prioritization of available budgetary and non-budgetary funds for immediate disaster response. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) and the Ministry of Finance are holding discussions on addressing legal constraints, possibly through lessons from international experiences on how to fully operationalize the new Funds for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control established at the provincial level through the 2014 Law on Natural Disaster Prevention and Control. The Ministry of Finance is also reviewing possible changes to the current regulation for catastrophe risk insurance market development. Insurance of public assets has been incorporated into the draft revised law on public assets management and passed the initial round of consultation. The Program has also developed a note proposing a national DRF strategy to advise the Ministry of Finance on the development of a comprehensive approach to financial protection.